उपदेशसाहस्री (आदि शङ्कराचार्य - गद्य व पद्य भाग)

76 A THOUSAND TEACHINGS 116. “Moreover, sound and the other external objects transformed into the forms of the body, the ear and the other senses through which they are perceived, are transformed into the forms of the two internal organs, (the intellect and the mind), and also into those of their objects.¹ For they are connected and combined with one another in all actions. When this is so, I who am a man of knowledge have no one be- longing to me as a friend or a foe nor have I anyone indifferent belonging to me. Anybody, therefore, who wishes to connect me with pleasure or pain, the results of his action, through a false egoism, makes a vain effort. For I am not within the reach of pain or pleasure as the Sruti² says ‘It is unmanifested and inscrutable’. Similarly, I am not changeable by the action of any of the five elements as I am not of an objective nature. Therefore the Sruti³ says ‘It cannot be cut or burnt’. The merit or demerit arising out of good or evil done to this combination of the body and the senses on the part of those devotional or adverse to me will be theirs, but will not touch me who am devoid of old age, death and fear as the Sruti and Smritis say ‘It⁴ is not pained by omission or commission’, ‘It⁵ is not harmed or benefited by any action’, ‘Unborn,⁶ compris- ing the interior and exterior’ and ‘It⁷ is beyond the pain felt by the people, and unattached’. The supreme reason (why I am unattached) is that nothing really exists except the Self”.

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¹ Pleasure, pain, etc. ² Bh. Gîtâ, 2. 25. ³ Bh. Gîtâ, 2. 24. ⁴ Br. U., 4. 4. 22. ⁵ Br. U., 4. 4. 23. ⁶ Mu. U., 2. 1. 2. ⁷ Kath. U., 5. 11.